Sleeping Bag for Infants and Children

ABSTRACT

A new or improved ventilation system for an infant sleeping bag that overcomes the problem of inadequate ventilation while wholly containing the legs within the sleeping bag and reducing the risk of providing pressure points. The invention also provides a new or alternative sleeping bag for infants and young children with an improved air ventilation system, a new or alternative sleep garment for infants and children, and a new or improved ventilation system for sleeping bags generally.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to sleeping bags and sleep garments and in particular, sleeping bags and sleep garments for infants and children.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

This document is subject to copyright. The reproduction, communication and distribution of this document is not permitted without prior consent from the copyright owner, other than as permitted under section 226 of the Patents Act 1990.

BACKGROUND

Overheating or thermal stress in infants and young children has been linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs) and other serious, potentially fatal consequences such as heatstroke, febrile convulsions and encephalopathy. Other effects are also recognised, ranging from additional discomfort, and fluid and salt loss during illness. The factor in common appears to be wrapping a child too well or warmly during the night—and the risks appear to increase when a baby is already harbouring infection.

Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to overheating. It is thought this is because infants and young children undergo a period of thermoregulatory imbalance. Under the age of around 10 months, the amount of heat production proportional to a surface area reaches a peak (by around 5 months), while the ability to lose heat by sweating seems to develop more slowly over the first year of life.

Educational programs for parents and carers of children urge care to avoid overheating a child or infant, and to avoid excessive clothing, too heavy bedding or too warm a room—particularly when an infant or young child already has a fever.

Accordingly, bedding for children differs from bedding for adults and is typically manufactured with a lower “tog” rating than comparable bedding for adults. A tog is the unit of measurement of the warmth or “thermal resistance” of a fabric. This is important because very young infants have limited ability to throw off heavy bedding in order to cool down and underdeveloped thermoregulatory control. In addition, children develop higher temperatures with lower level of activity than is required to raise temperature in adults. Research has shown that overheating by just a few degrees could lead to heat stroke in infants and young children.

Various infant sleeping bags have been developed to assist in addressing some of the disadvantages of using blankets or doonas (duvets) for infants and young children. These disadvantages include:

-   -   (a) the risk of smothering from bedding that rides up over a         baby's face during sleep; or     -   (b) bedding being kicked or sliding off during the night,         leaving the baby cold or causing the baby to wake from the cold.

Thus sleeping bags for infants and children have been developed as a “kick-proof” form of bedding that provides a constant level of warmth and avoids the risk of smothering from loose bedding. Sleeping bags for infants and young children differ in design and purpose from those designed for adults, because infant sleeping bags are designed for indoor rather than outdoor use. Infant sleeping bags also usually include armholes or sleeves. The relevant safety standards also differentiate infant sleeping bags from garments with sleeves and feet (e.g. sleep suits or baby gros).

As sleeping bags contain an infant's legs, they also have the advantages of making it more difficult to roll onto the tummy during sleep and preventing the legs from dangling through cot rails.

However, a sleeping bag also has the disadvantage that if the infant is too warmly dressed within the sleeping bag, the room is too warm, the infant has a fever, the sleeping bag is too warm for the climate or season, or the infant simply warms up too much from wriggling then the infant is essentially “trapped” and cannot escape the sleeping bag to cool down.

Infant sleeping bags with a sleeveless design are intended to provide “ventilation” to reduce the risk of overheating. This allows the infant's arms to be uncovered by the sleeping bag and may often include a full-length zipper running along the side or the front panel of the sleeping bag. The disadvantages of this sleeping bag are that:

-   -   if babies are too warmly dressed within the closed sleeping bag,         their torsos and lower limbs can still become uncomfortably warm         as warm air is trapped in the lower levels of the sleeping bag         (lower meaning towards the legs);     -   if the zip is unzipped, an infant's limbs can escape the         sleeping bag and too much heat can be lost. This is so even if         the zip is only partially unzipped, because during the night the         zip can work itself open further with movement of the baby.

Traditional adult sleeping bags allow the side zipper to be opened for ventilation. Some, such as the mummy-style sleeping bag of U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,834, include measures to prevent the bag from working itself open completely during sleep. The bag U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,834 includes velcro closures to keep the upper portion of the sleeping bag closed and sitting around the shoulders for warmth while allowing the bottom portion of the bag to be opened. However, both infant sleeping bags with a full-length zipper (whether at the side or front) and the sleeping bag of U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,834 fail to fully contain the limbs when the zipper is opened. Therefore, one or both limbs can escape or protrude from either of these sleeping bags if the zipper that closes the bag is left open.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 was designed to overcome the problem of an occupant becoming partially or entirely uncovered through a night of normal movement if a sleeping bag closure is left partially or fully open. U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 discloses a ventilated sleeping bag with removable mesh panels that attach to the outer edges of the sleeping bag—that is, along the side zipper that closes the sleeping bag. The two rows of teeth making up the side zipper of the sleeping bag closure are reversibly separable so that the sleeping bag can be completely opened (known as a two-way zip). Once the teeth of the zip are separated, a mesh panel is attached along the full length of each edge of the zip. Each mesh panel also has a row of teeth, allowing it to be attached to the edge of the sleeping bag by moving a zip slider along the corresponding teeth of the adjacent edges of the mesh panel and sleeping bag. A mesh panel is attached along each edge of the opening of the sleeping bag, then the two mesh panels are attachable to each other by a second zipper. The mesh panel allows the bag to be ventilated even while closed.

An additional disadvantage of U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 is that zips are heavy and the arrangement of multiple zippers and sliders in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 is too bulky and cumbersome for a sleeping bag for an infant or young child. The additional teeth and sliders provide unwanted pressure points for infants, which can reduce blood flow (circulation) to the area and thus be painful. Exposure to prolonged pressure from the zips and/or sliders can increase the risk of developing pressure ulcers in infants and young children—particularly premature infants.

Coupled with the ability to remove and reattach the mesh panels, the arrangement of multiple zips in the sleeping bag of U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602, pose various entanglement risks for infants and young children who risk getting extremities (e.g. fingers or toes) or skin caught or entangled in a zip, between mesh panels and/or between the mesh and the zip.

The sleeping bag of U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 suffers the further disadvantage that the mesh sits along the opening edges of the sleeping bag. This provides limited opportunity for airflow and ventilation for trapped air, because the edges of the bag are prone to collapsing together (and even more so under the weight of an additional zip and when the zip sits along a side seam). The collapsed edges further limit the ability for warm air to escape from the sleeping bag and for cool air to circulate into the bag. This is a disadvantage U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 shares with other sleeping bags that rely on opening the side of the sleeping bag for ventilation. As heat rises, opening one side of the sleeping bag offers little by way of ventilation—particularly as the sides of the sleeping bag often collapse around the sleeping person, at least partially closing off the side opening and trapping air within the bag. Indeed U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 may offer less ventilation than traditional sleeping bags that open at the side. This is because with traditional sleeping bags, the bag works itself open during the night where the mesh panels of U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 prevent the sleeping bag from opening beyond the width of the mesh panels, let alone completely.

Traditional sleeping bags that permit ventilation through opening of the sleeping bag closure suffer the disadvantage that the sleeping person eventually works him- or herself partially or completely free of the bag during the night, leaving them exposed to the cold as well as environmental hazards (e.g. insects such as mosquitoes). For infants, this poses particular risks, including:

-   -   (a) as the legs can become “freed”, the infant is better able to         wriggle over onto the tummy position (which poses a risk for         SIDS) and/or to extend a leg or foot out of the cot;     -   (b) the infant can also become uncomfortably entangled in a half         loosened sleeping bag (the upper part remaining in position         while the lower body works itself free and potentially up and         around the infant's face). An increased risk of entanglement in         the fabric of a sleeping bag increases the risk of SIDS;     -   (c) if the infant becomes too cold, there is a risk of         hypothermia, which is yet another risk factor for SIDs.

The sleeping bag closure of a traditional sleeping bag (e.g. two-way zip) can also pose a pressure point risk that reduces or cuts off circulation, thereby causing discomfort and pain to wake the sleeping infant—particularly if the slider of the opened sleeping bag ends up under the child's body or limb. The three most common locations for paediatric pressure ulcers (in decreasing order) are: the occiput, the sacrum then the foot area. Therefore, a zip slider sitting under a foot (e.g. where the foot has protruded through the open bag and come to rest on the slider) is a significant pressure point risk for an infant, particularly a premature infant.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 discloses a sleeping bag for adults in which closeable mesh panels are attached to the sleeping bag opening to allow ventilation while still containing the limbs. However, the bag of U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,602 suffers the disadvantages of limited air circulation and a bulky double-zip construction that can potentially further limit air flow as well pose a pressure point risk to infants and young children.

It would be useful to have a sleeping bag which provides better airflow than existing sleeping bags and allows heat to escape while containing the body and legs within the sleeping bag.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sleeping bag for infants and young children that minimises the pressure point risk of prior art sleeping bags and provides improved air circulation than prior art sleeping bags to avoid the risk of overheating.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a ventilation system for a sleeping bag comprising:

-   -   (a) a first vent;     -   (b) a second vent         said first and second vents being positioned in opposing         portions of fabric, the opposing portions of fabric defining an         interior for accommodating a person.

Preferably, each of said first and second vents comprises an air-permeable panel secured to said opposing portions of fabric such that the air-permeable panel secures said opposing portions of fabric together at each vent.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a sleeping bag comprising:

-   -   (a) opposed front and back portions, the front and back portions         defining an interior for accommodating a person,         a ventilation system as hereinbefore described.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention there is provided a sleeping bag comprising:

-   -   (a) an outer shell;     -   (b) a ventilation system as hereinbefore described.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, there is provided an infant sleep garment comprising:

-   -   (a) opposed front and back portions, the front and back portions         defining an interior for accommodating a person,     -   (b) a ventilation system as hereinbefore described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention thus provides a ventilation system for a sleeping bag that overcomes the problem of inadequate ventilation while wholly containing the legs within the sleeping bag and reducing the risk of providing pressure points. The invention also provides a new or alternative sleeping bag for infants and young children with an improved air ventilation system while containing the legs of a sleeping infant. The invention further provides a new or alternative sleep garment for infants and children and a new or improved air ventilation system for sleeping bags generally.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be performed, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a sleeping bag for an infant or young child according to an embodiment of the invention, showing a vent in a closed position.

FIG. 1B is a front view of a sleeping bag for an infant or young child according to an embodiment of the invention, showing a vent in an open position.

FIG. 2 is the sleeping bag of FIG. 1, showing a ventilation system according to an embodiment of the invention. The ventilation system includes a vent in the front portion and a vent in the back portion of the sleeping bag. The vent in the back portion is shown schematically (greyed out).

FIG. 3A is a back view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing a vent in a closed position.

FIG. 3B is a back view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, showing a vent in an open position.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along line Y-Y of

FIG. 3A, showing exemplary positions of two diametrically opposed vents and air flow.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a sleeping bag for an infant or young child than in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6A is a cross section of a vent in an open state according to an embodiment of the invention taken along line Z-Z of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B.

FIG. 6B is a cross section of a vent in an open state, according to a different arrangement of the vent of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary arrangement of shortening means on the sleeping bag of FIG. 1.

The elements of the invention are now described under the following headings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention provides a new or alternative ventilation system for sleeping bags, and a new or alternative sleeping bag for infants and children. The invention also provides a ventilation system for use in an infant sleep garment and for use in sleeping bags generally.

FIG. 1A shows a sleeping bag 100 for infants and young children according to a preferred embodiment. The sleeping bag 100 in FIGS. 1 to 4 is sleeveless. An alternative embodiment 500 is shown in FIG. 5, in which the sleeping bag has sleeves 510. The sleeves 510 can be any desired length (short, three-quarter or full).

Where the same reference number is used, the feature is the same. The ventilation system is described in most detail in relation to an infant sleeping bag but the same features apply to a ventilation system for a sleep garment or sleeping bags generally.

The sleeping bag 100, 500 has a front portion (item 110 in FIGS. 1A and 1 n FIG. 5) and a back portion (item 300 in FIG. 3A), being opposing portions of fabric. The opposing portions of fabric define an interior for accommodating a person. The same applies for a sleep garment.

The front portion 110 and back portion 300 of the sleeping bag (or sleep garment) comprise an outer shell (shown in cross section as item 400 in FIG. 4) and an inner lining (shown in cross section as item 410 in FIG. 4). The front portion and back portion can be:

-   -   (a) a single continuous panel of fabric folded over to form         front and back portions; or     -   (b) discrete panels sewn together.

The front portion 110 is the portion of the sleeping bag (or sleep garment) intended to be positioned against the user's front (including chest, abdomen, legs). The back portion 300 is the portion of the sleeping back that is positioned against the user's back (including back, buttocks, legs).

The sleeping bag 100, 500 includes an improved ventilation system 200 (refer FIGS. 2 and 6). The ventilation system 200 is the same in embodiments 100 (FIG. 1) and 500 (FIG. 5) and also for use in sleeping bags generally or sleep garments. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the ventilation system 200 in embodiment 100 by way of example only. FIG. 6A shows a cross section of a vent according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6B shows a cross section of a different arrangement of the same vent. The cross-sections of FIGS. 6A and 6B are taken along line Z-Z of FIGS. 2 and 3B to illustrate the construction of a vent.

The ventilation system 200 includes:

-   -   (a) a first vent 120; and     -   (b) a second vent 310,     -   one of each vent 120 and 130 being positioned in opposing         portions of fabric.

In other words, a first vent 120 is positioned in the front portion 110 of the sleeping bag (or garment) and a second vent 310 is positioned in the back portion of a sleeping bag (or garment). Each said first and second vents is positioned in a central part of said front or back portions, the central part being any part of the front or back portions other than an edge. This is because the vents are not used as access openings to the interior of the sleeping bag or garment. The positioning of vents is discussed in more detail further below in this document.

Shown in cross section in FIG. 4 (the cross section being taken along line Y-Y of FIG. 3A), the front and back portions define an interior of the sleeping bag 100 for accommodating a person. The same applies for the mid-torso section of a sleep garment. When in use, the approximate shape of the sleeping bag (or sleep garment) in cross-section is an oval or ellipsis. The same applies to embodiment 500 (not illustrated). The front portion 110 and the back portion 300 form diametrically opposed curves of the sleeping bag in cross-section.

Accordingly, the vent 120 in the front portion 110 and the vent 310 in the back portion 300 are also substantially diametrically opposed. FIG. 1A and FIG. 5 show vent 120 (in the front portion 110) in a closed state. FIG. 3A shows vent 310 (in the back portion 300) in a closed state.

Each of vents 120 and 310 is reversibly openable to allow air circulation in the interior of the sleeping bag 100, 500 (or of a sleep garment). FIGS. 1B and 2 show vent 120 in an open state. FIGS. 2 and 3B show vent 310 in an open state. Each vent is moveable between a closed state and an open state, including to an intermediate position.

FIG. 4 shows schematically how vents 120 and 310 traverse both the inner lining 410 and outer shell 400 of the sleeping bag. This is also seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B, which show cross sections of an open vent 600 (this could be either vent 120 or vent 310). A vent closing means 610 (e.g. a zip, as depicted in FIG. 6A) is opened in direction of arrows A. The teeth or coils of the opened closing means 610 sit against the edges of the vent opening, against the fabric of the outer shell 400 of the sleeping bag.

Below the outer shell 400 (below meaning towards the inside of the sleeping bag) sits an air-permeable panel 130. The air-permeable panel can be made of any suitable air-permeable material, including:

-   -   (c) a mesh fabric;     -   (d) an open-weave fabric;     -   (e) a sheer fabric;     -   (f) criss-cross laces of any material.

The air-permeable panel is secured to the opposing portions of fabric of the interior of the sleeping bag so that when a vent is in an opened state, the opening is still covered by the air-permeable panel. In other words, the air-permeable panel secures the opposing portions of fabric together at the vent.

The air-permeable panel 130 can be secured between the inner lining 410 and outer shell or outer layer of fabric 400, as shown in FIG. 6A (or inside the outer shell if there is no inner lining). Alternatively, the air-permeable panel 130 can sit below the inner lining, inside the sleeping bag—as shown in FIG. 6B. The seams of each layer are depicted as a double layer of fabric in each of FIGS. 6A and 6B. In either case, the edges of the air-permeable panel are enclosed to minimise the risk of entanglement or catching of extremities or skin between the zip and air-permeable panel within the sleeping bag.

When open, vents 120 and 310 allow convective heat transfer through the circulation of air into and out of the sleeping bag. Each vent is an opening of a shape and dimension capable of allowing air to enter into or escape from the interior of the sleeping bag. The opening can be of various sizes and shapes, including a slit or hole of any shape such as a slit that runs in one or more of the following directions in the central part of a front or back portion:

-   -   (a) horizontally;     -   (b) vertically;     -   (c) diagonally;     -   (d) spirally.

In exemplary embodiments:

-   -   (a) an elongate-shaped vent is positioned diagonally across a         front or back portion, or     -   (b) an L-shaped vent is positioned down and across a front or         back portion.

For example, vent 120 is positioned to remove heat from the sleeping infant's core by allowing air to circulate out from the bag through vent 120 in the front portion of the sleeping bag. The vent 120 crosses the body, from one side of the sleeping bag to the other and also travels a sufficient length of the sleeping bag so that the vent would cover a significant proportion of the length of the body (torso). This allows warm air to escape up and out of the sleeping bag, generated from different areas around the baby's torso.

The actual shape and location of the vent 120 are depicted in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2 and 5 by way of example only. The vents 120 and 310 are positioned in the central part of the front and back portions, the central part being any part other than the edges.

The vents 120 and 310 are further positioned in one of the following ways:

-   -   (a) a first vent is positioned on an upper portion of the         sleeping bag or garment, the upper portion being the portion for         accommodating a person's torso, and         -   a second vent is positioned in a lowermost portion of the             sleeping bag or garment, the lowermost portion being the             portion for accommodating a person's lower legs; or     -   (b) a first vent is positioned on one side of the sleeping bag         (or garment) and a second vent is positioned on an opposing side         of the sleeping bag (or garment).

In this way, a pair of vents is positioned with one of each pair being on the front and back portions, and one of each pair being on the upper and lowermost portions. It is important that a first vent 120 is positioned on the front portion and allows warm air to escape in a direction up and out of the sleeping bag—rather than venting air sideways from the sleeping bag. Positioning a second vent on an opposing portion of fabric assist to draw cool air in and to circulate air within the interior of the sleeping bag (or garment). An elongated shape that travels from one side of the sleeping bag across to the other further assists to promote convective heat transfer out of the sleeping bag.

Vent 310 is positioned to remove heat from around the feet. The vent 310 travels across the lowermost part of the back portion of the sleeping bag—the lowermost part being the part of the sleeping bag that accommodates the lower legs and feet. As with vent 120 in the front portion, vent 310 in the back portion is depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 by way of example only. The precise shape and position of vent 310 may vary from the illustrations. However, it is important that vent 130 draws cool air into the sleeping bag through the back portion around the foot area. The presence of a vent on a diametrically opposed portion of the elliptically-shaped sleeping bag assists to draw cool air in through the back portion while expelling warm air out through the front portion. Air can also circulate locally in and out through vent 310 but the presence of another vent on the diametrically opposed surface increases the efficiency of air circulation.

The ventilation system 200 is therefore more effective than prior art ventilation measures in sleeping bags because of the inclusion of a second vent. This performs a mechanical function of allowing cool air to be pulled into the sleeping bag through the second vent while heated air within the sleeping bag rises and escapes out through the first vent. The dashed arrows labelled X in FIG. 4 show the direction of air movement. FIG. 2 shows the outline of an infant in the sleeping bag 100. Vents 120 and 310 are positioned and shaped along and around the elliptical cross section of the sleeping bag, to allow air to flow around the infant's body within the sleeping bag and escape from a diametrically opposed vent. This is shown schematically by the large arrow X in FIG. 2.

To protect a sleeping infant, air-permeable panel 130 is secured within vents 120 and 310 so that when vents 120 and 310 are opened, the sleeping bag 100, 500 still wholly contains the legs. This prevents:

-   -   (a) one or both legs from protruding from the sleeping bag and         becoming exposed to the cold, insects (e.g. mosquitoes)     -   (b) one or both legs from protruding from the sleeping bag and         becoming entangled in or hitting cot rails;     -   (c) one or both feet coming to rest on the zip or zip slider of         the sleeping bag closure (item 420 in FIG. 4), which poses a         pressure point risk;     -   (d) the sleeping bag “riding up” the back of a wriggling infant         (the bulk of the sleeping bag posing a pressure point risk) or         otherwise posing an entanglement risk (smothering) for an         infant.

Vents 120 and 310 are reversibly closeable by any suitable vent closing means (item 610 in FIG. 6A) to reduce the risk of the baby becoming too cold or developing hypothermia. In a preferred embodiment, the closing means for vents 120 and 310 is a zip (ideally, a small-sized concealed zip to minimise bulk and reduce the risk of posing a pressure point). However, other closing means are also suitable, such as corresponding strips of hook and loop fastener, press studs, buttons, a number of hooks and eyes. In an embodiment, a flap of fabric sits over vents 120 and 310 when the vents are in a closed state. In this embodiment, the fabric forms the vent closing means. Lifting the fabric and securing it in the lifted position away from the vent (through any suitable fastening means such as a zip, corresponding strips of hook and loop fastener, one or more press studs, one or more buttons, a number of hooks and eyes, corresponding ties) keeps the vent in an open state.

In an embodiment, the sleeping bag may also include corresponding slots 140, 320 (see FIGS. 1A and 3B, respectively) to allow passage of a child restraint belt (e.g. car seatbelt) through the sleeping bag. The slot 320 enables a belt to pass through the back portion and internal volume, then and exit through a corresponding slot 140 of the front portion. This allows the infant to be secured for transportation while in the sleeping bag 100, 500.

In an embodiment, the sleeping bag may further include shortening means 700 to enable the lower portion of the sleeping bag to be shortened if required, thereby further decreasing the risk of an infant sliding down into the sleeping bag and becoming entangled in the fabric of the lower portion of the sleeping bag. An exemplary shortening means on the embodiment of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 7. The shortening means comprises fastening means (e.g. buttons, two pairs of press studs—as shown in FIG. 7, corresponding sections of hook and loop fastener) positioned on the sleeping bag so that the end of the sleeping bag can be folded up and secured in a folded state (in the direction of arrows labelled B) to restrict access to the end of the bag from within. This reduces the risk of entanglement of in the lower portion of the sleeping bag. The shortening means 700 can be used in any of the embodiments described, not only the embodiment of FIG. 1.

An advantage of the preferred embodiment is that it provides improved ventilation to prevent overheating within a sleeping bag while wholly containing the legs within the sleeping bag. The sleeping bag includes separate vents in the front and back portions of the sleeping bag to facilitate heat convection by creating air currents that carry heat out of the sleeping bag while drawing cool air into the sleeping bag.

Another advantage is that vents of the sleeping bag are positioned and shaped to release heat from the torso and/or the feet of a sleeping infant.

A further advantage is that because the sleeping bag does not rely on opening the sleeping bag closure (zip) for ventilation, it avoids the problems associated with entanglement within the fabric of the open sleeping bag (a SIDS risk) as well as other problems that may arise when legs can protrude out of the sleeping bag. As such, the sleeping bag:

-   -   (a) reduces the risk of entanglement by containing the legs         within the bag (which reduces the risk of SIDs) and keeping the         bag closed;     -   (b) reduces the risk of overheating by providing an improved         ventilation system that actively draws cool air into the         sleeping bag while expelling warm air;     -   (c) avoids exposure to cold that can cause discomfort or in         extreme cases lead to hypothermia (another risk factor for SIDS)         from a sleeping bag that works itself open and allows part or         all of the sleeping infant to protrude out from the sleeping         bag;     -   (d) prevents exposure to insects that can occur when legs         protrude out of a sleeping bag; and     -   (e) also reduces the risk of reducing blood flow (circulation)         by minimising the risk of creating pressure points posed by         other sleeping bags.

The invention provides a ventilation system for a sleeping bag for infants and young children, for an infant sleep garment and for sleeping bags generally. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to this particular field of use and that it is not limited to particular embodiments or applications described herein.

Comprises/comprising when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. Thus, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words ‘comprise’, ‘comprising’, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to. 

1. A ventilation system for a sleeping bag comprising: (a) a first vent; (b) a second vent; said first and second vents being positioned in opposing portions of fabric, the opposing portions of fabric defining an interior for accommodating a person.
 2. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second vents comprises an air-permeable panel secured to said opposing portions of fabric such that the air-permeable panel secures said opposing portions of fabric together at each vent.
 3. The ventilation system of claim 2 wherein said air-permeable panel includes a panel of an air-permeable material.
 4. The ventilation system of claim 3 wherein the air-permeable material is from any one of the following groups: (a) a mesh fabric; (b) an open-weave fabric; (c) a sheer fabric; (d) criss-cross laces of any material.
 5. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein said opposing portions of fabric are is one or more of the following: (a) an outer layer of fabric (b) an inner lining.
 6. The ventilation system of claim 1 wherein: (a) the first vent is positioned in a front portion of the sleeping bag, the front portion intended to be positioned against a person's front and front of the legs; (b) the second vent is positioned in a back portion of a sleeping bag, the back portion intended to be positioned against a person's back and back of the legs, wherein each said first and second vents is positioned in a central part of said front or back portions, the central part being any part of the front or back portions other than an edge.
 7. The ventilation system of claim 6 wherein said vents positioned in a central part of said front or back portions, respectively, are further positioned in one or more of the following ways: (a) a first vent is positioned on an upper portion of said sleeping bag, said upper portion being the portion of the sleeping bag for accommodating a person's body, and a second vent is positioned in a lowermost portion of the sleeping bag, the lowermost portion being the portion of the sleeping bag for accommodating a person's lower legs; (b) a first vent is positioned on one side of the sleeping bag and a second vent is positioned on an opposing side of the sleeping bag.
 8. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein each said vent is an opening of a shape and dimension capable of allowing air to enter or escape said interior.
 9. The ventilation system of claim 8 wherein said opening comprises one of the following: (a) a slit of any shape; (b) a hole of any shape.
 10. The ventilation system of claim 9, wherein said slit runs in one or more of the following directions in said central part of a front or back portion: (a) horizontally; (b) vertically; (c) diagonally; (d) spirally.
 11. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said vents is from one of the following groups: (a) an elongate-shaped vent positioned diagonally across a front or back portion; (b) an L-shaped vent positioned down and across a front or back portion.
 12. The ventilation system of claim 11 wherein said elongate-shaped vent is of sufficient length to extend a significant proportion of a person's torso accommodated in said interior.
 13. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein each said first and second vents is moveable between an open state and a closed state.
 14. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein each said vent is moveable to a closed state through a vent closing means.
 15. The ventilation system of claim 14 wherein the vent closing means is one or more of the following: (a) a zip; (b) corresponding sections of hook and loop fastener; (c) one or more press studs; (d) one or more buttons; (e) a number of corresponding hooks and eyes; (f) a flap of fabric.
 16. The ventilation system of claim 15 wherein the zip is a concealed zip.
 17. The ventilation system of claim 14 wherein the vent closing means is a flap of fabric and the flap is openable by lifting said flap away from said vent, and wherein securing said flap in a lifted position using fastening means maintains said vent in an open state.
 18. A sleeping bag comprising: (a) opposed front and back portions, the front and back portions defining an interior for accommodating a person; and (b) a ventilation system comprising at least one vent.
 19. A sleeping bag comprising: (a) an outer shell; (b) a ventilation system according to any one of claim 1 to claim
 17. 20. The sleeping bag of claim 18, wherein the sleeping bag further includes a shortening means to restrict access to a lowermost portion of the sleeping bag, the lowermost portion being the portion of the sleeping bag for accommodating a person's lower legs.
 21. The sleeping bag of claim 20 wherein the shortening means comprises fastening means positioned on the sleeping bag so that the end of the sleeping bag can be folded up and secured in a folded state.
 22. The sleeping bag of claim 18, wherein said sleeping bag further includes corresponding slots on said front and back portions to allow passage of a child restraint belt through the sleeping bag.
 23. The sleeping bag of claim 18, wherein said sleeping bag further includes one or more sleeves.
 24. (canceled)
 25. (canceled)
 26. (canceled)
 27. (canceled) 